1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collar for use with an inflation device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a collar having a release mechanism that allows a user to advance and/or retract a plunger in a non-thread fashion.
2. The Relevant Technology
Inflation mechanisms are widely utilized in catheterization procedures to perform specified functions. For example, inflation devices can be utilized with specialized balloon apparatuses to open arterial blockages or perform similar procedures. Typically such inflation devices include a syringe and a plunger disposed within the barrel of the syringe. A practitioner advances the plunger to increase the atmospheric pressure within the syringe and the connected balloon to inflate the balloon to a desired size and/or degree of pressurization. Typically, such plungers are attached to the syringe barrel in a threaded fashion to allow for controlled and incremental movement of the plunger relative to the barrel of the syringe.
While the threaded configuration of the plunger allows for controlled and incremental movement of the plunger relative to the barrel of the syringe, under some circumstances it is desirable that the practitioner be able to advance or retract the plunger more quickly than that allowed by incremental threaded movement of the plunger. A number of different types and configurations of release mechanisms have been utilized to allow the user to advance/retract the plunger in a non-threaded fashion. One such apparatus comprises a collar coupled to the distal portion of the syringe. The collar allows the user to advance/retract the plunger in a non-threaded fashion by simply decoupling the collar from the distal end of the plunger barrel.
When the collar is coupled to the syringe, the threads of the plunger threadably interact with the collar to allow for advancement or retraction of the plunger by rotation of the plunger. When the collar is decoupled from the syringe, the position of the plunger relative to the syringe can be quickly changed by sliding the collar and plunger in a reward direction. To advance the plunger, the collar is moved toward the back of the plunger by spinning the collar while the plunger remains in a fixed position relative to the barrel of the syringe. This moves the collar in a rearward direction allowing the user to advance the plunger in a non-threaded fashion without requiring rotational movement of the plunger itself. The user can then recouple the collar to the distal end of the barrel of the syringe and resume threaded movement of the plunger in the incremental and controlled fashion previously utilized.